The oldest of the company's vineyards, planted in 1982. It was planted when founder Paul bought the land, and although there are still some old vines that are about 35 years old, most of them are nearing the end of their lifespan, and over the past 10 years they have been gradually replanted with the same clones as the old vines, and new vines are planted on rootstocks. The old vines have low yields, and the newly replanted plots are cultivated with the traditional clones Pommard and Wedenswil, which shape Marjorie's individuality, with the yield kept low, so production is very limited.
Christom specializes in single vineyard winemaking that brings out the characteristics of the terroir.
Vintage Information
2021 was a very dry year throughout the year, but rain during flowering affected pollination, resulting in small clusters and low yields, but the fruit was concentrated, making this a vintage that produced grapes of the highest quality in the last 10 years.
Although it was a dry year, a little rain in July midway through was a big help to the young vines and to the older vines in the rocky vineyards with little topsoil.
There were several hot days in August, but thanks to the efforts of the cultivation team, no major damage was caused, and the cool weather that followed from August to September allowed the grapes to ripen sufficiently, resulting in well-balanced grapes that did not lose their acidity.
Technical information
Clones: Predominantly Pommard and Wedenswil, with small amounts of Dijon (114, 115, 777).
Winemaking method: 40% whole bunch fermentation, fermented using only native yeasts in small open fermentation tanks of 1-5 to 5 tonnes.
Punchdown is done 1-3 times a day, with gentle pressing, and the wine is transferred by gravity to French barrels (mainly François Frères and others), where it is aged for 18 months (38% new barrels).
Clarification is done using only egg whites, no filters
Tasting Comments
Bright ruby colour with a slight purple rim.
The nose displays characteristic nuances of red fruits, followed by notes of raspberry jam, cinnamon sticks, black cherry, cardamom and mushrooms.
The palate is medium-bodied, with black fruits and spices filling the mouth, accented with earthy notes.
The noble and relaxed fruit concentration, fine tannins, and acidity that are characteristic of Marjorie beautifully envelop the whole wine, resulting in a long-lasting, pleasant aftertaste.
Field Information
Marjorie is a 3.4 hectare vineyard named after the mother of founder Paul Gerry. Vines were already planted there when the land was purchased (planted in 1982), making it one of the oldest vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills.
The vines are planted from north to south in terraces parallel to the slope (between 151 and 189 meters above sea level) on a well-drained, east-facing, gentle slope where Saum, Witzel and Yamhill soils have accumulated on Columbia River basalt. The planting rate of 1,495 vines per hectare is lower than in Crystom's other vineyards, which results in less stress and slightly less concentrated fruit, but more relaxed fruit.
Originally the vines were only own-rooted, but gradually the roots became infected with phylloxera, causing a dramatic drop in yields, and in 2004 the vines were replanted with the same clones as the original, using rootstocks that were resistant to phylloxera.
For the 2013 vintage, the vines that had been replanted earlier had grown, and the 10-year-old replanted vines were added to Marjorie's wine.
It will take some time for the Marjorie trees to grow before production returns to normal.
Of the four wines produced in the company's own vineyards, this top cuvée has the strongest red fruit flavor, complex flavor and solid structure, making it the most popular of the four wines produced in the company's own vineyards. Combined with its rarity, this top cuvée is often called the First Lady of Christome.
There are only a few of the nearly 40-year-old own-rooted vines remaining, and the replanted vines are soon to be 20 years old. The number of vines that have matured to a quality that can be blended into the finest Cuvée Marjorie is increasing, and the amount of Marjorie released is gradually increasing, but it remains a rare product.
Vintage: 2021
Capacity: 750ml
Type: Red wine
Taste: Medium bodied
Main variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Country of Origin: America
Region Name: Oregon
AVA: Eola-Amity Hills
Vineyard: Majorie Vineyard
Winemaker: Steve Doerner
Winemaking: 40% whole bunch fermentation, fermented in 1.5-5 ton open fermentation tanks using only natural yeasts
Aging: 18 months in French barrels (François Frères and several other types) (38% new barrels)
Cap: Cork
Alcohol content: 13.5%
JAN: 851573001037